The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-03-11

and impaired to him my Intentions
He heard me in silence-it is an evil
omen when an Orlanoff listens without
speaking to displeasing tidings. The
next day he came TO me to tell me that
he had proofs of your completely in the
Nihilist conspiracy in which your most
intimate friend was implicated, and
that through his intimacy with the
chief of police he lad to pronounce but
one word to cause you to disappear from
the face of the earth for ever
1.-THE charge is false, Princess; 1
knew nothing Of my poor friends de-
signs
"There was a letter in your hand
writing found amongst the papers of
Nikalaieff; what it contained / do not
know. But this much know, that he
who by so much as the tip of one finger
is caught in the terrible machinery of
our police system is irretrievably con-
demned. In a few, brief, decisive
words, Prince Michael told me what
your fate was to be, and then he left
me to my despair. For / knew that
you were lost, Cola, and that your
doom was sealed unless, indeed, I
could save you. For a little time l
could think of nothing but of my an
guish and my terror. Then a sudden
resolve took possession of my soul. /
summoned my uncle to my presence
once more, and | offered, as the price
of your freedom and your life, to re-
move the only obstacle that stood be-
tween him and my great wealth-my-
self. would die and make no sign;
and my only conditions were, that my
end should be painless, and that /
should be permitted to summon you
here and to place in your possession
with my own hands the papers that in
sured your safety-the compromising
letter and your passport. An hour ago
he brought me yonder packet and a
glass of old Tokay. l drank the wine,
and then he left me, saying:
"'You can send for your actor when
you please, only do not delay too
long"
Astonishment and horror had up to
this time kept Baretti silent, but at
these words he sprang to his feet.
"This must not bel" he cried.
"Help!-let me summon help?"
But the Princess hand, cold as ice
and firm as steel, crushed back the
words upon his lips.
"Silence! she whispered in ac-
cents hoarse with terror "Not cry!
NOT sound! We stand beneath an
avalanche; a word might call down
upon your head the swooping doom!
There are eyes that watch us, ears that
hearken to our words. Besides, for me
it is too late. An, Cola! Cola! do not
take from me all the gladness of my
self-sacrifice! Let me not die knowing
that have died in vain. I could not
give you riches and power, my beloved
suffer me at least to give you the life l
have bought even at the price of my
own! Perhaps it is better so, for you
could never have loved me had I been
your wife. And some day, in Heaven,
made whole and strong and fair, may
spring to greet you, my hero, and
claim you as my own by the right of a
love stronger than death, eternal as the
life beyond the gravel"
She paused, and her breath came
nuick and uasnin0lv
Lift me to the light, Cola she
murmured, land look upon my face,
that in the other world you may not
fail to know men'
He raised her gently in his arms.
The lamp-light showed him face pure
and pallid as pearl, over which an
ominous shadow was slowly creeping.
She lifted her hands and linked them
lightly behind his bowed head. Her
eyes met his with an ineffable tender
ness in their azure depths. !,
"Oh, my love! my lover she sighed.
''Live and be happy, and sometimes
remember the woman who has known
but one happy hour in her most I'M
happy life, and that the hour in which
she learned she could lay down her life
for your'
He was weeping now, such bitter:
tears as only strong men can shed in q
moment of supreme emotion. They
fell upon the white brow from which
the golden cloud of hair had fallen back
like vail
''Tears-and fol- me?" she whis-
pered. 'Not tears, Cola-but one kiss
to bid me farewell-and then go--go
as you value your life!' !
He touched his lips to hers, reverent-
ly, as though he kissed a holy relic.
The mortal chill of that pale mouth
thrilled through his powerful frame.
He laid her softly back upon her pill
low, but the cold fingers still sought
his hands.
"Claudius, my fair Claudius where
is your raiment of white and goldp
All is darkness yet no-there is light
beyond-light and life-the life that I
have saved! Greater love hath no man
known than this''--
Her voice died into silence and her
eyes closed. At that moment a tall,
dark woman in peasants dress came
swiftly from behind the tapestry that
clothed the walls. She motioned inn
periously to Baretti to depart. Hiding
the packet of papers in his breast he
hurried from the room, and in an hour
had left St. Petersburg forever.
When he opened the packet he found
within it, besides the passport and the
letter, a long, thick tress of golden
hair. That tress, woven into brace-
let, now encircles Baretti's arm, and
he will wear it in his coffin when he
dies. He is married now, and is a
happy and devoted husband. But when
we met in Milan the other day, he
turned back his sleeve to show me the
bracelet, and then he told me his story.
Lacy Il. Hooper, IN Frank Leske's
Newspaper.